General Studies Major

BGS Degree

The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree empowers you to forge a unique academic path:

• Define your educational objectives.
• Create a personalized plan of study.
• Combine diverse areas of study not possible in traditional programs.

While a 24-credit-hour concentration is required, the BGS doesn't mandate a major or minor like other PSU degrees.

Your plan of study should align with the following:

• Develop it with guidance from the BGS faculty advisor.
• Submit it before completing the final 60 credit hours for the BGS Degree. For those finishing the last 30 credit hours at PSU or current PSU students, it must accompany your initial program application.
• Ensure it differs from PSU's conventional degree programs.
• Organize the chosen courses logically.
• Note that once accepted, changes to your plan require the BGS advisor's approval.

Degree Requirements and Restrictions

The BGS Degree has the following requirements:

1. A minimum of 45 hours is completed before applying to the program.
2. A minimum of 120 semester credit hours, with at least 30 in residence with a GPA of 2.0000.
3. A grade point average of 2.0000 for all hours attempted. Courses taken on the “Pass-Fail” grading option will not be used in computing grade point average.
4. All general education requirements.
5. A minimum of 24 semester credit hours in one area of study, with a 2.0000 GPA.
6. A minimum of 45 semester credit hours in upper division courses (numbered 300 to 799).
7. For transfer students, a minimum of sixty hours at a four-year college no matter how many hours were completed at a two-year college.
8. A one-thousand-word assessment essay (i.e., evaluation) of your academic achievement. The assessment will be completed in the area of study that constitutes your 24-hour concentration.  You must make arrangements for the evaluation during your senior year.
9. For a second bachelor's degree an additional 30 semester hours of PSU credit with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 after the first degree was granted. 

The BGS degree is subject to the following restrictions:

1. A maximum of 15 semester credit hours of correspondence and/or extension credit.
2. A maximum of 6 semester credit hours of nonresident credit (correspondence courses, or work at another college or university) in the last thirty hours prior to graduation.